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Extra virgin olive oil and bittersweet chocolate make a smooth and fruity match. Here, they work together to make an elegant chocolate mousse that’s rich and decadent without weighing you down at the end of a meal. The perfect make-ahead dessert for your next dinner party!
This chocolate mousse recipe uses no heavy cream or butter. Rather, at its base is an ingredient that may surprise you: extra virgin olive oil.
Before I moved to Barcelona I had never considered combining chocolate and olive oil. I quickly began to notice it everywhere, from chocolate olive oil cake to a rustic and old-style Catalan dessert of toast with melted chocolate, a drizzle of peppery Spanish olive oil, and flaky sea salt.
Chocolate and olive oil both have a fruity flavor that gets overpowered by more standard pairings. When you combine them, though, they each amplify the earthy and fruit-forward notes of the other. A delicious match! Traditional chocolate mousse is typically made with milk chocolate and cream. In this refreshing take, olive oil lends a richer flavor and bittersweet chocolate ensures it’s far from cloying.
This chocolate mousse recipe requires planning ahead–give yourself at least 4 hours for the mousse to chill in your refrigerator. While this may seem inconvenient at first glance, it’s actually perfect for dinner parties and holidays. Make this sophisticated dessert the day before your big night. You'll free up time to focus on last-minute preparations and spending quality time with your guests.
The key to exceptional flavor in this mousse is high-quality bittersweet chocolate and superb extra virgin olive oil. I add coffee and lemon zest to accentuate the fruity flavors, but feel free to leave them out for a more classic chocolate mousse flavor.
This lighter version swaps out the butter and cream but keeps the same technique as a classic chocolate mousse. The yolks and whites are whipped separately and folded together with the melted chocolate and olive oil in stages. The mousse comes together in about a half hour, but plan on at least 4 hours for it to set before serving.
Most classic chocolate mousse recipes call for raw eggs, both the yolks and whites. While there is some risk, it is generally not an issue for most people as most eggs purchased at the store are pasteurized. Those with compromised immune systems, pregnant women, young children, or older adults should avoid raw eggs due to the risk of salmonella. If you want to avoid using raw eggs, you can temper the egg yolks and whites over a bain-marie (water bath).
I’ve tested preparing this mousse with a bain-marie several times, and while it wasn’t quite as airy, it was still rich and delicious. Keep in mind that it will take an additional 30 minutes of prep time, requires a few more dishes, and there is a risk of overheating and scrambling the eggs. Follow the recipe as directed, adding these steps to heat the egg whites and yolks to 160°F:
The chocolate mousse can be made up to 4 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator, making this an excellent make-ahead dessert for a dinner party. When I’m serving the mousse the same day I make it, I just cover each ramekin with plastic wrap.
If you're planning on making the mousse a day or more in advance, I'd suggest gently pressing the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the mousse to prevent a skin from forming.
Nothing beats homemade whipped cream and a generous dollop lightens the richness of the dark chocolate. You can make a classic whip cream by whisking cream with a touch of sugar and vanilla extract until thickened. Or, you can borrow the Greek yogurt whip from our chocolate olive oil cake if you’d like. You can also garnish the chocolate olive oil mousse with fresh berries, chopped toasted nuts, or crushed amaretti cookies.
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Recommended for this Recipe: Nocellara or Arbequina EVOO
We love these rich, fruity and smooth, extra virgin olive oils for baking, particularly with dark chocolate.
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Mark learned to bake professionally at Two Fat Cats Bakery in Portland, Maine and was most recently the head baker at Hjem Kensington, a Danish café in London. He lived in Barcelona and Madrid for six years, before moving to London and then back to the States. He is fascinated by the intersection of food, culture, and science. He has been developing recipes for home bakers for three years and began writing for The Mediterranean Dish in 2022.
When he’s not in the kitchen, he spends his time traveling, knitting, and learning to throw pottery. Learn More
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Utterly delicious! I used coconut palm sugar, and dark chocolate chips only sweetened with dates- turned out fabulous. Love that you add evoo.
The olive oil chocolate mousse is way too complicated. There are much simpler choc mousse recipes with less ingredients.
Could you do with with just dark chocolate instead of bittersweet for a non dairy mousse ? Looks amazing as all of your recipes are !!! Thanks so much 🙂
Hello! I do think dark chocolate will work here, but it's not something we've officially tested with this recipe. If you are going to give it a try, make sure you are using a high quality dark chocolate for the tastiest results :).
Looks very good. Only problem I have is I live in Greece, so I'm kinda stuck with Greek olive oil. Would love some Spanish olive oil, but I can't find any in Greece!!!
Oh no! Wish we could send you some! Being "stuck" with Greek olive oil isn't a bad thing, though, lol!
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